WIRELESS ENERGY TRANSFER RESONATOR ENCLOSURES

• US 20100231340A1
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Original Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
• Inventors: Ganem, Steven J., Kesler, Morris P., Fiorello, Ron, Kurs, Andre B., Kulikowski, Konrad J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,723,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/92
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2003/005 Magnetic cores for receiving several windings with perpendicular axes, e.g. for antennae or inductive power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/50 using additional energy repeaters between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/60 responsive to the presence of foreign objects, e.g. detection of living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

Described herein are improved configurations for a resonator enclosure for wireless high power transfer that includes a support plate, a sheet of good conductor positioned on one side of the support plate, a separator piece for maintaining a separation distance between the resonator and the sheet of good conductor, and a cover of a non-lossy material covering the resonator, the separator, the sheet of good conductor and attached to the support plate, wherein the size of the sheet of good conductor is larger than the size of the resonator.

Claims

1. A resonator enclosure for wireless high power transfer comprising:

a support plate;

a sheet of good conductor positioned on one side of the support plate;

a separator piece for maintaining a separation distance between the resonator and the sheet of good conductor; and

a cover of a non-lossy material covering the resonator, the separator, the sheet of good conductor and attached to the support plate;

wherein a size of the sheet of good conductor is larger than the size of the resonator.

2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the support plate is shaped to fit a specified location on a vehicle.

3. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the sheet of good conductor has substantially the same shape as the support plate.

4. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the sheet of good conductor has a different shape than the support plate.

5. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the sheet of good conductor comprises copper.

6. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the sheet of good conductor comprises aluminum.

7. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the size of the sheet of good conductor exceeds the size of the resonator by at least 1 cm on all sides.

8. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the size of the sheet of good conductor exceeds the size of the resonator by at least 2 cm on all sides.

9. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the separator piece is flat.

10. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the separator piece is shaped to maintain a variable separation between the resonator and the sheet of good conductor.

11. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein a minimum separation distance between the resonator and the sheet of good conductor is at least 1 mm.

12. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein a minimum separation distance between the resonator and the sheet of good conductor is at least 5 mm.

13. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a nylon material.

14. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a plastic material.

15. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the cover is attached to the support plate by nuts and bolts.

16. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is waterproof.

17. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is bulletproof.

18. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the enclosure has a width of approximately 40 cm, a length of approximately 40 cm, and a height of approximately 3.5 cm.

19. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the perturbed Q of the resonator in the enclosure is greater than 100.

20. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the perturbed Q of the resonator in the enclosure is greater than 100.

21. A packaged resonator for wireless high power transfer comprising:

a rectangular support plate having a bottom side and a top side;

a rectangular sheet of good conductor positioned on the bottom side of the support plate,

a high Q resonator;

a separator piece for maintaining a constant separation distance between the resonator and the sheet of good conductor; and

a cover of a non-lossy material covering the resonator, the separator, and the sheet of conductor and attached to the support plate;

wherein a width and a length of the sheet of good conductor is larger than the width and the length of the resonator.

22. The packaged resonator of claim 21, wherein the resonator comprises a good conductor wrapped around a rectangular form of magnetic material.

23. The packaged resonator of claim 21, wherein the resonator has a quality factor Q>

100.

24. The packaged resonator of claim 21, wherein the sheet of good conductor comprises copper.

25. The packaged resonator of claim 21, wherein the width and length of the rectangular sheet of good conductor is at least 1 cm larger than the length and width of the resonator.

26. The packaged resonator of claim 21, wherein the width and length of the rectangular sheet of good conductor is at least 2 cm larger than the length and width of the resonator.

27. The packaged resonator of claim 21, wherein the separator piece maintains a constant separation distance of at least 0.5 cm between the resonator and the sheet of good conductor.

28. The packaged resonator of claim 21, wherein the separator piece maintains a constant separation distance of at least 1 cm between the resonator and the sheet of good conductor.

29. The packaged resonator of claim 21, wherein the cover comprises a plastic material.

30. The packaged resonator of claim 21, wherein the packaging is waterproof.